- Massachusetts Department of Revenue
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Robert Geller, 56, formerly of Sharon, was sentenced yesterday in Stoughton District Court to two years in the Norfolk County House of Correction for violating terms of his probation in a case stemming from failure to pay child support for his two children who live with their mother in Sharon.
District Court Judge Robert Harbour sentenced Geller but noted that the jail term could be revised or revoked in the event Geller is able to come up with a lump sum payment toward his child support, which is currently almost $100,000.
Geller was arrested on March 19 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, by Massachusetts State Police.
The case stems from Geller's sentence on May 15, 2006 for failure to comply with a child support order, for which he received a two-year sentence in the House of Correction suspended for three years with conditions including $55,000 to be paid to DOR on behalf of the custodial parent for past due child support; payment of a $5,000 fine and other associated probation fees; and the requirement to remain in contact with the Probation Department.
Geller was scheduled to appear in Norfolk Probate and Family Court on October 17, 2006, but he failed to show up resulting in the issuance of a warrant for his arrest. The following month a probation violation hearing was scheduled and again Geller did not show up, which resulted in the issuance of a default warrant which was entered onto the national warrant system in 2007.
Geller currently owes $99,647.85 including interest and penalties, of which $69,997.69 is back child support for his two children who are 16 and 18. His original child support order was set in 1994; DOR's involvement with the case began in 2004.
Testimony at the hearing yesterday was presented by Probation Officer Jen Brady and Assistant District Attorney David Ringius. The sentencing is the result of the partnership between Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue in which an assistant Norfolk district attorney is assigned to DOR to handle criminal enforcement of non-support cases and related matters.
Bob Bliss (DOR)
blissr@dor.state.ma.us
617-626-2369
Norfolk County District Attorney
Spokesman David Traub
(781) 830-4800 Ext. 217
